Pruning waste management and climate change in Sierra Mágina’s olive groves (Andalusia,Spain)

Regional Environmental Change - In the context of climate change, concern is raising about the negative effects of some pruning waste management practices. On the one hand, burning of pruning...     

Integrating intraseasonal grassland dynamics in cross-scale distribution modeling to support waterbird recovery plans

Despite much discussion about the utility of remote sensing for effective conservation, the inclusion of these technologies in species recovery plans remains largely anecdotal. We developed a modeling approach for the integration of local, spatially measured ecosystem functional dynamics into a species distribution modeling (SDM) framework in which other ecologically relevant factors are modeled separately at broad scales. To illustrate the approach, we incorporated intraseasonal water-vegetation dynamics into a cross-scale SDM for the Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), which is highly dependent on water and vegetation dynamics. The Common Snipe is an Iberian grassland waterbird characteristic of European agricultural meadows and a member of one of the most threatened bird guilds. The intraseasonal dynamics of water content of vegetation were measured using the standard deviation of the normalized difference water index time series computed from bimonthly images of the Sentinel-2 satellite. The recovery plan for the Common Snipe in Galicia (northwestern Iberian Peninsula) provided an opportunity to apply our modeling framework. Model accuracy in predicting the species’ distribution at a regional scale (resulting from integration of downscaled climate projections with regional habitat–topographic suitability models) was very high (area under the curve [AUC] of 0.981 and Boyce's index of 0.971). Local water-vegetation dynamic models, based exclusively on Sentinel-2 imagery, were good predictors (AUC of 0.849 and Boyce's index of 0.976). The predictive power improved (AUC of 0.92 and Boyce's index of 0.98) when local model predictions were restricted to areas identified by the continental and regional models as priorities for conservation. Our models also performed well (AUC of 0.90 and Boyce's index of 0.93) when projected to updated water-vegetation conditions. Our modeling framework enabled incorporation of key ecosystem processes closely related to water and carbon cycles while accounting for other factors ecologically relevant to endangered grassland waterbirds across different scales, allowed identification of priority areas for conservation, and provided an opportunity for cost-effective recovery planning by monitoring management effectiveness from space.     

Opening access to the black box: The need for reporting on the global phosphorus supply chain

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient in agriculture; however, lack of reporting makes its supply chain a black box. By using literature synthesis on the P challenge, we identify four areas where the reporting process is problematic: P reserves and resources; P losses along the supply chain; P externalities; and access to data. We find that in these areas, the reporting system is inconsistent, inaccurate, incomplete, fragmented and non-transparent. We use systems analysis to discuss implications of reporting on the sustainability of the P supply chain. We find that reporting is essential for the achievement of global P governance and the human right to adequate food. It can also inform decision makers and other impacted stakeholders on policies on agriculture, food security, pollution and international conflict. An improved P reporting process also allows a better evaluation of global sustainability commitments such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.     

Evaluation and comparison of advanced oxidation processes for the degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D): a review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Organochlorine pesticides have generated public concern worldwide because of their toxicity to human health and the environment, even at low...     

Evaluation of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables from the Aegean region of Turkey and assessment of risk to consumers

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Pesticides may cause a potential risk to human health when applied in excess to control pests, diseases, and weeds in crop fields. In the current...     

Inflammatory effects of particulate matter air pollution

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Air pollution is an important cause of non-communicable diseases globally with particulate matter (PM) as one of the main air pollutants. PM is...     

The risk of cross-border pollution and the influence of regional climate on the rainwater chemistry in the Southern Carpathians,Romania

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The aim of this study is the assessment of rainwater composition, regarding the various sources of major ions and heavy metals, taking into account...     

From past to future: impact of climate change on range shifts and genetic diversity patterns of circumboreal plants

Climate change is projected to influence the genetic resources of plant species. Recent research has examined genetic diversity patterns under current climate conditions, with little attention to the future genetic consequences for species. In this study, we combined ecological niche modeling and population genetic approaches to project future changes in genetic diversity using plastid and nuclear DNA and reconstructed distribution patterns of three circumboreal plants (Chamaedaphne calyculata, Linnaea borealis ssp. borealis, and Pedicularis sceptrum-carolinum ssp. sceptrum-carolinum) in the last glacial maximum. We found that circumboreal plants could potentially lose their geographic ranges in the future (2070; 35–52% in RCP 4.5 (representative concentration pathways), 37–53% in RCP 6.0, and 56–69% in RCP 8.5), only slightly compensated by a predicted range gain of 18–33% (across the three RCPs). It is expected that future genetic diversity level could remain similar or lower than the present level. On the other hand, the homogeneity of the genetic background—a lack of admixture and domination of one gene pool in most populations of C. calyculata and L. borealis ssp. borealis—was predicted to become more pronounced in the future. Combining the paleoecological niche modeling and genetic data revealed, more precisely, the climate refugia for circumboreal plants in the Alps, central Asia, Beringia, and southern North America and the macrorefugia more restricted to the northern part of Eurasia and North America, reaching the arctic zone.

     

Reproduction patterns of four Antarctic octocorals in the Weddell Sea: an inter-specific,shape, and latitudinal comparison

The reproductive patterns of four Antarctic gorgonian species have been investigated. Two of them, Dasystenella acanthina and Thouarella sp., present the bottle-brush-shape type; the other two, Fannyella rossii and Fannyella spinosa, are fan-shaped. Two different reproductive patterns have been observed in D. acanthina and Thouarella sp., which point to two size classes in the frequency distribution of oocytes. This feature indicates a reproduction cycle with overlapping generations, being each of them of more than one year, probably with seasonal spawning. F. rossii and F. spinosa show only one size class of oocytes, which could point towards an annual reproductive cycle. The presence of larvae in the gastrovascular cavities in both Fanyella species and Thoaurella sp. is a sign of a possible larvae release during austral summer. The number of oocytes per polyp ranges from 1.1 ± 0.10 SE to 1.5 ± 0.06 SE, and the size ranges from 50 to 1200 μm. The number of spermatic cysts ranges from 2.6 ± 0.19 SE to 5.0 ± 0.21SE, and their sizes range from 50 to 800 μm. These values are comparable to the reproductive trends and features found in gorgonians from other latitudes, which correspond in some cases with similar morphotypes. These coincident strategies could be related to morphological similarities rather than with latitude or water temperature. The results of this study indicate that octocoral morphology may play a crucial role in determining the reproductive output of these organisms.     

Landsat image and sample design for water reservoirs (Rapel dam Central Chile)

Spatial heterogeneity of the Rapel reservoir surface waters is analyzed through Landsat images. The image digital counts are used with the aim or developing an aprioristic quantitative sample design.Natural horizontal stratification of the Rapel Reservoir (Central Chile) is produced mainly by suspended solids. The spatial heterogeneity conditions of the reservoir for the Spring 86-Summer 87 period were determined by qualitative analysis and image processing of the MSS Landsat, bands 1 and 3. The space-time variations of the different observed strata obtained with multitemporal image analysis.A random stratified sample design (r.s.s.d) was developed, based on the digital counts statistical analysis. Strata population size as well as the average, variance and sampling size of the digital counts were obtained by the r.s.s.d method.Stratification determined by analysis of satellite images were later correlated with ground data. Though the stratification of the reservoir is constant over time, the shape and size of the strata varys.